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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29147145">Upon the Horizon's Verge</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/tenrousei_kuroi/pseuds/tenrousei_kuroi'>tenrousei_kuroi</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alcohol, Brother/Brother Incest, Brotherly Love, Depression, Dubious Consent, First Time Blow Jobs, Fluff and Angst, Infidelity, M/M, Morning After, Morning Cuddles, Polyamory, Regulus Black Lives, Sibling Incest, Sirius Black is a Good Sibling, Sirius Black is rather cruel, Suicidal Thoughts, brief discussion of impact play, lots of feelings talk</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-02-10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-02-10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-13 08:47:33</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Explicit</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Rape/Non-Con</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>12,574</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29147145</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/tenrousei_kuroi/pseuds/tenrousei_kuroi</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>For the 2021 Regulus Black Fest. </p><p>Prompt: Instead of going after the horcrux alone, Regulus seeks his brother's help and inadvertently crashes James' stag night. Faced with drunken Marauders, he almost gives up but they surprise him by actually listening. Regulus wasn't sure what he expected to happen, but he definitely didn't expect to end the night in bed with his brother and his two best friends.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Regulus Black/James Potter, Regulus Black/Remus Lupin, Regulus Black/Sirius Black, Regulus Black/Sirius Black/Remus Lupin/James Potter</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>51</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>Regulus Black Fest 2021</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Prologue</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Please heed the tags. And an extra warning for brotherxbrother incest and dub-con of every variety (copious amounts of alcohol, implicit and explicit coercion and just generally not being above board). I cannot stress this warning enough. </p><p>This is a slow build-up. You can skip to chapter three if you just want the sexy parts :)</p><p>Title credit: Lord Byron</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It had been two days since Regulus Black had slept.</p><p>As the summer crawled on, June giving way to July, Regulus spent more and more time hiding from his parents and friends. He stopped answering letters. He refused to go out with his parents. And two days ago, he had finally retreated to the one place no one would look for him—his brother’s old bedroom—and there he remained: exhausted, dirty, and hardly able to see straight.</p><p>He knew it was only a matter of time before he was summoned to the Dark Lord’s side. It had been weeks since he had volunteered Kreacher to his master. Something was bound to happen soon. The Dark Lord would inevitably call for him—</p><p>And he would be dead if he answered.</p><p>“A horcrux,” Regulus whispered to himself, curling up against Sirius’s mahogany headboard.</p><p>He could not go to the Dark Lord with this secret in his heart. He would never be able to hide it.</p><p>He would be walking to his own death.</p><p>Regulus knew he needed to act and act fast. If he was going to do something, it needed to happen before his next Summoning, because if he ignored the Dark Lord’s call, he would place himself under equal suspicion.</p><p>But general fear—coupled with not knowing how much time he had—was affecting Regulus’s ability to formulate a plan. At least one that didn’t involve him dying.</p><p>Was that really his only option? Regulus could have Kreacher take him to the Dark Lord’s hiding place, where he could hopefully steal and destroy the horcrux himself…</p><p>Which would put him right back in this position. Cowering. Unable to return to his master without outing himself as a traitor. No. If he stole from the Dark Lord, he would need to die in the process.</p><p>Regulus pointed his wand idly at Sirius’s ceiling and watched as sparse snowflakes began to fall from it. He felt the skin on his left forearm twitch. There was one other option he had not allowed himself to even consider.</p><p>He could ask for help.</p><p>Regulus pulled at his fringe. Pride notwithstanding, who would even deign to help him if he asked? Who could he trust? He couldn’t show such weakness in front of his parents, surely. None of his friends would understand.</p><p>Regulus bit his lip. Going to the Ministry would guarantee him a cell in Azkaban and disgrace his entire family. He was likewise mistrustful of most of his classmates and teachers.</p><p>Regulus put his head in his hands as the snow above him turned to a light rain. He sighed. No matter how much he went around and around in his head, he was always left with the same option:</p><p>He needed Sirius.</p><p>“Kreacher,” Regulus called softly, half hoping the elf would ignore him. Regulus would never be able to track down his brother on his own. Sirius Black was elusive these days even to people he liked, much less his Death Eater of a brother. Kreacher on the other hand, might be able to locate him.</p><p>“Young Master?” Regulus looked up with a start. Embarrassed, he flicked his wand at the ceiling, for the small elf had been eyeing the falling rain with concern and confusion.</p><p>“Sorry,” Regulus muttered as the rain stopped.</p><p>“What does Master Regulus need from Kreacher?”</p><p>Regulus folded his arms protectively over his stomach. He felt queasy. “Kreacher, I need you to do something for me, without telling Mother or Father.”</p><p>Kreacher nodded obediently and cocked an ear in curiosity.</p><p>“I need you to leave Grimmauld Place and go find my brother.”</p><p>Kreacher blinked. “Master Sirius is a blood traitor and dead to the house of Black,” he said simply.</p><p>“Well that blood traitor is the only one who can get me out of this mess,” Regulus said forlornly as his gaze dropped once again to his Dark Mark. Kreacher was still glaring in contempt, but he seemed to understand—or at least was unwilling to disobey Regulus when the boy was looking so incredibly dejected.</p><p>“Do you think you could find him?” Regulus asked quietly. If Kreacher said no, then that would be it. Regulus had very little fight left in him.</p><p>“Does the blood traitor still live with the Potter boy?”</p><p>Regulus blinked in surprise before remembering that he had, in fact, spent literal hours complaining about James Potter to Kreacher. “I...I don’t know,” Regulus stuttered. “I saw a...er, a wedding announcement in the Prophet last week about Potter and some woman getting married soon. So, probably not.”</p><p>Kreacher frowned. “Does the traitor still have that enchanted, flying contraption?”</p><p>“I assume so,” Regulus said.</p><p>“Then Kreacher can track it,” the elf said with a beleaguered sigh, as if he were less than enthused about this particular order. “The next time that ungrateful swine takes to the skies, Kreacher will know.”</p><p>Regulus exhaled and stood up. So that was it. Sirius would either activate his magical motorbike before Voldemort called Regulus to his side, or he would not. There was almost a peace to Regulus knowing this was outside of his control.</p><p>Regulus took several deep breaths, dismissed Kreacher and went to go take a shower.</p>
<hr/><p>Regulus hadn’t been allowing himself to hope for much. He didn’t want to deal with the crushing disappointment that would come if Kreacher couldn’t find Sirius in time. Yet he couldn’t help but find himself running through what to say in his head.</p><p>What could he say to his estranged brother that would make him believable? Would Sirius even give him the chance, or would he turn him away? Call the Aurors?</p><p>Would Sirius <em>hurt him</em>?</p><p>Regulus wasn’t left to ponder for too long. The next evening, Kreacher was in the middle of serving tea to Regulus and his mother in the first floor drawing room when the elf suddenly froze up, looking frantically at Regulus and setting the tray down half-hazardly.</p><p>“Easy, you careless thing!” Walburga spat. “You’ve spilled tea on me.”</p><p>Kreacher apologized in an uncharacteristically strained voice while Regulus’s mother made vague threats about the elf’s beheading day drawing closer. Suddenly it clicked in Regulus’s brain that Kreacher was sensing the movements of Sirius’s magical bike.</p><p>“Get out of here,” Regulus said harshly, nudging the elf with his foot and giving Kreacher an excuse to dash from the room. As Kreacher left, Regulus turned back to his mother to engage her in conversation, hoping to distract her from her servant’s absence.</p><p>“You’re so jittery of late, Regulus,” his mother said, drying her skirts with her wand. “I wish you would talk to me. Do you need to see a healer?”</p><p>“No,” Regulus insisted. “I’m sorry, Mum, I’ve just been...I’ve had a lot on my mind.”</p><p>Walburga nodded knowingly. They had not discussed the Dark Lord since Regulus had signed up. A disappointment that evening had been, with Regulus’s enlistment earning less praise than he would have assumed. His mother in particular had been wary, which had confused Regulus. He’d heard Walburga and Orion praising the Dark Lord’s agenda for years and had naturally thought they would have loved him all the more for joining up. That officially subscribing to The Cause would be what finally cemented his place as their true heir.</p><p>But that hadn’t been the case. Walburga Black often spoke of the Dark Lord as though she knew him—or had known him, and Orion had been mildly disgusted at Regulus’s branding.</p><p>Blacks were subtle. And Regulus had put himself in the position where he could no longer easily slip back into the realm of polite society should the Dark Lord fail. Whether or not Regulus felt he was bettering humanity by purifying the wizarding race didn’t matter. He was a liability to his family at this point.</p><p>“Your father will be home shortly,” Walburga said softly. She seemed eager to let the subject drop. “He and I are going out tonight, so you will be on your own.”</p><p>“I will try not to burn the house down,” Regulus said with a cheeky smile. His mother laughed, and for just one second, it could have been six years ago—well before Sirius had left home and everything had crumbled.</p><p>Back when there had still been reason to laugh.</p>
<hr/><p>It was well into the summer night and nearly dark by the time Kreacher returned to Grimmauld Place.</p><p>“Where is Mistress?” he asked. Regulus, who had been sitting at the kitchen table pretending to read a book, looked up.</p><p>“Gone,” he said, standing up eagerly. “Out with Father. Kreacher, what did you find?”</p><p>Kreacher gave Regulus an address. “This is the bloodtraitor’s new address,” he said. “Kreacher followed him there and waited. He went inside with groceries in his arms and acted at home. If you go there now, you will find him.”</p><p>Regulus nodded. “Were there wards, Kreacher? Can I Apparate, or must I use my broom?”</p><p>“There are wards, but they are new and weak. If young master Apparates in the street, they will not detect him.”</p><p>Regulus nodded. Apparation wasn’t his strong suit and that level of precision would be tricky, but he didn’t know how long his parents would be gone nor how much longer he could stay hidden from the Dark Lord. He would Apparate.</p><p>“Thank you, Kreacher. I’m going to get my cloak and leave now. If Mother and Father return before me, tell them I left in a hurry.”</p><p>Kreacher looked up at him dolefully.</p><p>“Tell them that I walked past you without a second glance and didn’t bother to tell you anything.”</p><p>“Yes Master,” Kreacher said. “Kreacher will get the young master’s travelling cloak.”</p><p>While Kreacher rummaged in the hall closet, Regulus dashed upstairs to his brother’s room and looked around frantically, not sure what he was searching for until he saw it.</p><p>There: on the wall. A photograph of Sirius and his friends at school. A peace offering.</p><p>As he tucked the picture into his pocket, a searing pain shot through his arm. Restless, the snake detached from his Dark Mark and began to circle his wrist. Regulus cried out and grabbed it. He was being Summoned.</p><p>This was it. This was Regulus’s last chance to back out of this hair-brained scheme and let the Dark Lord have his head. Groaning, Regulus pulled out his wand. He remembered his father’s disappointed face.</p><p>
  <em>That you would BOW to ANYONE, Regulus!</em>
</p><p>Regulus jabbed at his arm, stilling his tattoo and returning the snake to where it was intended to rest, swirled around the skull. He could not return to the Dark Lord to be killed. He would not disgrace his family like that.</p><p>Regulus returned to the entryway where Kreacher was waiting.</p><p>“Stay safe, Master,” Kreacher said, holding up Regulus’s silver cloak.</p><p>“It’s too late for that, Kreacher,” Regulus admitted. “At this point, all that’s left is for me to choose who it is that gets to dispose of me.”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Upon the Horizon's Verge</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>A warm summer rain, not unlike the one that had graced Sirius’s bedroom the day before, began to fall as Regulus arrived, stomach swirling from nerves and Apparation, on his brother’s street. At this point he cared little for whether or not he had aroused Muggle suspicion.</p><p>Let them see. Regulus had been seventeen for two months now and his magic bore no Trace.</p><p>Feigning confidence, Regulus walked down the cracking front path. This was definitely Sirius’s house—or more likely, the house he was renting. There was no way Sirius Black had enough gold to his disowned name to purchase anything.</p><p>Frowning, Regulus kicked an empty beer can out of his way and into the grass and pushed forward. If he stopped to think, he would lose his nerve. He shook the light rain from his face and stepped under the small awning of the roof.</p><p>He knocked.</p><p>For a long time there was silence. Frowning, Regulus craned his neck to see lights shining from every window. Sirius was definitely home. He knocked again, this time calling his brother’s name. He tried to sound the right level of desperate. He didn’t want Sirius to think he was overacting for the sake of some trap.</p><p>Still no one answered the door, although Regulus was fairly sure he had heard some sort of small crash.</p><p>Once more he knocked, this time calling for his brother and also stating his own name.</p><p>This time, the door opened, and to Regulus’s immense surprise, it was not his brother who answered, but instead a young woman.</p><p>A young woman who was no more dressed than the posters tacked to Sirius’s walls. With a yelp, Regulus jumped back.</p><p>“Are you hear to join the party, love?” The woman asked. In the background, Regulus could now hear faint music and the sound of someone approaching.</p><p>“Whoa, who are you letting in?” a man’s voice asked. “Is that Peter finally?”</p><p>The woman opened the door wide and cocked her head, indicating that Regulus should come inside. “You must be the fourth friend,” she said in a sweet but sultry tone. “Come on inside, Peter. I’ll need to see your ID really quick.”</p><p>Regulus took another step back. What was an ID?</p><p>He took a good look at the woman and realized with slight revulsion that she was clearly a Muggle. And some sort of...Muggle entertainer, at that.</p><p>“Oh, don’t be shy,” she said, leaning forward to tug Regulus by his sleeve. On pure instinct, Regulus took out his wand and cried, “Impedimenta!”</p><p>The woman was chucked backwards straight onto her mostly naked arse and she screamed.</p><p>“What the fuck?” the man who had yelled earlier was now in sight and Regulus could have cried in frustration. It was James Potter.</p><p>“Bloody hell,” he slurred loudly and Regulus could tell by his movements that he’d been half in the bag for some time. “What happened? Who are—?”</p><p>“Regulus?” Another voice screamed. This time, two men came running—albeit unsteadily—and one of them was at least Sirius Black.</p><p>“Expelliarmus!” Regulus felt his wand fly from his hand and saw his brother catch it, a murderous look in his eyes. Regulus had a good feeling what was coming next.</p><p>“<em>Stupefy!</em>”</p>
<hr/><p>When Regulus awoke, he was tied up. Clumsy knots kept his hands behind his back and he’d been set on the floor against a wall. Blearily, he blinked and looked around, trying to remember what had happened.</p><p>He’d attacked that Muggle woman.</p><p>His brother had stunned him.</p><p>Had he been taken to jail? How much time had passed?</p><p>A quick glance around his brother’s shabby living room answered the first question, and judging by the clumsily ticking clock on the mantle, it was only 9:30, so unless he’d been out for more than twenty-four hours and it was an entirely new day, it had likely only been a few minutes.</p><p>Regulus frowned. His brother’s Stunner had sure been weak. What was Sirius thinking, casting at his brother drunk like that? He could have seriously hurt him!</p><p><em>Would he have cared?</em> A small but cruel voice in Regulus’s head asked.</p><p>Regulus sighed. “Sirius?” he called. “Sirius are you there? I just need to talk with you, please!”</p><p>“Remus is practically sober, let him do it!” Regulus heard his brother yelling and he turned his head as far as possible, trying to see his brother approach.</p><p>“Well, what on earth do we have here?” To Regulus’s displeasure, James Potter had followed Sirius into the living room. “A miniature Death Eater.”</p><p>“Sirius, please,” Regulus looked up at his brother, ignoring James’s taunt. “I came here because I need...” Regulus swallowed and let what was left of his pride die. “I need your <em>help.</em>”</p><p>James sniggered into his hands and sat down on the couch. Well, more accurately he fell down and nearly slid to the floor, having drastically misjudged the distance.</p><p>Sirius folded his arms. “You absolute prick,” he sneered. “Same as always. You really scared that poor girl when you attacked her.”</p><p>“She startled me!” Regulus insisted. “She grabbed ahold of me and I panicked!”</p><p>“Remus is modifying her memory right now so we can send her home. Completely ruined James’s party, I hope you know.”</p><p>Regulus tugged at his bonds fruitlessly. “Party?” he asked in disbelief. The music he remembered from earlier was no longer playing, but now that he focused a bit, he could see a lot of empty wine coolers and beer cans laying around, as well as varying plates of snacks.</p><p>James snickered from the couch that he was now sprawled along. “Getting married on Saturday,” he explained. “Welcome to my bachelor party, you goddam snake. Now where’s Peter?”</p><p>“Huh?” Regulus asked. “Peter who?”</p><p>“Peter our friend, you imbecile,” Sirius said. He kicked Regulus in the leg, but being so unsteady, it didn’t hurt much. “What have you done with him? Tell us now and we’ll consider handing you to the Aurors in one piece.”</p><p>“I don’t know anything about your stupid friend,” Regulus snapped. “I came here to talk to <em>you,</em> Sirius. Can—Can your friend leave?”</p><p>Sirius shook his head and to Regulus’s dismay, Remus Lupin entered the room moments later. Regulus felt very small and outnumbered.</p><p>“She’s gone,” Remus said calmly. “Won’t remember anything. I tried to put happy memories into her head, I think? But...” he blinked slowly and shook his head. “Was kind of hard just to get the bad ones era—ersed—you know...<em>goned.</em>”</p><p>Regulus felt his jaw drop. Merlin, but all these men were plastered! This did not bode well. Regulus felt his spirits drop, if possible, even further.</p><p>“Can you untie me?” Regulus asked in a small voice. Part of him was prepared to flee. Sirius and his friends weren’t going to be any help. Regulus would be lucky if they didn’t attack him. Sirius had always been a pushy drunk if not a downright belligerent one. Regulus could remember many a family gathering that had devolved into disarray as soon as Sirius Black saw the bottom of his wine glass.</p><p>“Fat chance,” Sirius scoffed. “I don’t need a Death Eater roaming free in my house.”</p><p>“Sirius!” Regulus moaned in desperation. He wriggled against his bonds to no avail.</p><p>“Oi,” Sirius said softly. He had crouched down next to Regulus and put a hand on his shoulder to still him. There was a curiously perturbed look on his face. “Stop that.”</p><p>“Sorry,” Regulus huffed. “I’m just a little frustrated with myself. I was an idiot to come here...to think you were going to listen to me.” He sighed. “If you’re going to drag me into the Ministry, just get on with it.”</p><p>“Who said anything about that?” Sirius asked, standing back up and looking down at Regulus as though he were a misbehaving pet.</p><p>“You did,” Regulus hissed. This was useless, he realized as he saw Sirius’s eyes narrow in thought as he tried to remember a sentence spoken less than two minutes prior.</p><p>“Wait, Sirius,” said James. He slid from the couch and landed clumsily on the floor. Then he crawled over to Regulus and sat down next to him, back against the wall, so close the two were touching. Regulus flinched. “Let’s interrogate him ourselves.”</p><p>“Huh?”</p><p>“For practice! Come on, this is perfect, he came right to us! Let’s get all the good information and tell it to old Moody ourselves.”</p><p>Regulus did not like the sound of that. He tried to form a persuasive comeback, but when James Potter slid out his wand, Regulus’s words failed him and he actually started to shake.</p><p>“Careful pointing that at his face, James,” said Remus Lupin, nodding towards James’s wand, which was sparking slightly in drunken exuberance, Regulus flinching every time a hot spark hit his neck.</p><p>“What’s it matter?” James asked aggressively.</p><p>It was Sirius who snatched James’s wand out from his hand and tossed it back to the sofa. “He’s still my brother, you twat, that’s what matters.”</p><p>James shrugged and leaned into Regulus. “Fine, fine. Okay, then. Since I’m not allowed to torture you for information like a real Auror, I guess I’ll just have to ask politely. Tell us everything or whatever.”</p><p>Regulus tried to shift away from the man laying against his shoulder but couldn’t get very far. With a depressed sigh, he looked up at his brother and said, “When the Dark Lord finds out what I’ve discovered, he’ll kill me. I came here to ask for your help, although I’m unsure what that help would even look like.”</p><p>Sirius frowned and knelt down again on the other side of Regulus. “How’d you get here? Moony warded...” he flailed his hand around uselessly, gesturing to the room at large. “Stuff.”</p><p>“I asked Kreacher to find you. He followed your bike here, which is trackable, by the way.”</p><p>Sirius blinked.</p><p>“Are you in trouble, Reggie?”</p><p>Regulus glared at him. “Of course I’m in trouble. I can’t keep this secret from Him, <em>and</em> I’ve ignored a Summoning. He’ll hunt me down as soon as he has a free minute. I should have known better than to come here. I <em>had</em> my chance to die by my own hand and now I’ve thrown that away,” he muttered the last sentence more to himself. Who knew how much information Sirius and his friends would retain, anyway?</p><p>But Sirius heard him, and to Regulus’s surprise, answered quite sincerely. “I think you should start at the beginning, Regulus,” he said, pulling Regulus forward. James squawked as Sirius pulled Regulus to him, leaving his friend to fall onto his side.</p><p>Regulus panicked, unsure of what was happening, until he noticed Sirius was fumbling with the bonds on his wrists, slipping them off.</p><p>“Hey,” James whined. “Took me ages to get those tied.”</p><p>“Tough,” Sirius snapped.</p><p>James grumbled something.</p><p>“What was that?” Sirius demanded.</p><p>“I said I like him better tied up.”</p><p>Sirius glared for a moment but ultimately didn’t answer. “All right, Reggie,” he said calmly. “I think we should have a chat.”</p><p>Regulus glanced warily around him.</p><p>“Wait,” James hollered. “Take him into the bedroom.”</p><p>Sirius raised an eyebrow.</p><p>“There are no windows and only the one door. It’ll be easier to keep him from escaping.”</p><p>“I’m not going to go dashing off,” Regulus said, despite that having been his plan less than a minute prior. “Where would I go? I’d be dead within a day.”</p><p>But no one was listening to him. Sirius shoved some ridiculously flavored beer into Regulus’s hands and he numbly accepted the bottle while his brother marched him from the room.</p><p>Lupin and James Potter followed suit.</p><p>“Why’d you give him the iced, those ones’re mine,” James whined.</p><p>The bedroom door closed behind the four of them and Regulus shivered.</p><p>“I bought you six of them, Prongs, relax,” Sirius said.</p><p>“Remus drank them all,” James said sulkily.</p><p>Regulus tried to hold the drink out to James, but Sirius pushed his arm down.</p><p>“No, I need <em>you</em> to drink that so you loosen up, calm down, and tell me what the fuck is going on.”</p><p>“You don’t need to get me drunk, Sirius. I’ll tell you the whole truth.”</p><p>Sirius’s bedroom was an absolute wreck and if he weren’t already marked for death, Regulus would never have deigned to enter. He must have tripped over every piece of clothing Sirius owned while being pushed towards the bed.</p><p>“Stop, stop, stop!” Regulus yelled, flailing his arms a bit to shake Sirius off of him. “I’m not going anywhere, just stop pawing at me.”</p><p>Trying to seem cooperative, Regulus sat delicately on the side of the bed and folded his hands into his lap. James Potter threw himself gracelessly down beside him. The whole bed shook and Regulus eyed him with distaste.</p><p>“Looks like you were having some party,” Regulus said sardonically as he eyed the toppled lamp, empty liquor bottles and half empty cartons of cigarettes. An honest to god cigar was still smoldering slightly on the nightstand.</p><p>A part of him was admittedly jealous, though. Sirius had always had so much unabashed fun with his friends, whether at school or the few times their parents had allowed Sirius’s classmates into Grimmauld Place. Regulus couldn’t claim the same.</p><p>He’d thought he’d had friends, but when the time had come for him to take the Dark Mark, none had tried to talk him out of it. Possibly because that’s the kind of friends they were: the type who fall out the instant conflict arises. James Potter would have had no issues decking Sirius about the head if he’d tried to do something equally as stupid, Regulus was sure.</p><p>“All right, Reggie,” said Sirius, sitting down clumsily but less dramatically on the other side of Regulus. “You, Moony,” he nodded towards Remus Lupin. “Guard the door.”</p><p>Regulus rolled his eyes.</p><p>“Now,” said Sirius, prizing the cap off another drink. “Why don’t you tell me what’s got you breaking your four-year vow of silence to come and talk to a blood traitor?”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Life Hovers Like a Star</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I don't even know what to say, this kind of got away from me. I'll be hiding in the other room if you need me.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It went more smoothly than Regulus had expected, spilling his guts. He’d had to repeat himself multiple times because James kept forgetting what had been said, and at some point Remus Lupin had collapsed onto the bed behind Sirius, arguing that standing was making his head pound. Sirius had passed him another drink.</p><p>He’d had to reveal his Dark Mark at James Potter’s insistence, although Regulus was sure this request came from morbid curiosity rather than any practical utility. And the look on Sirius’s face when he’d seen it had been gut wrenching.</p><p>Regulus hadn’t realized until that point just how much his brother’s opinion of him had meant, and to see the disapproval and horror etched into his eyes was more upsetting that Regulus would have guessed. Sirius’s concern was further compounded by how brutal Regulus’s Mark had turned. Having skipped what must have been an essential Summoning, the Mark was now angry, spreading its tendrils further down his arm and the snake occasionally made lashing bites towards Regulus’s wrist, though it had not again moved free of the skull.</p><p>“Is that it?” Sirius asked after Regulus had been silent for some time.</p><p>Regulus nodded.</p><p>Lupin spoke for the first time since he’d sat down. His voice startled Regulus. “So you’re here thinking we’d have some magical solution to get you out of this mess?”</p><p>“I came to see Sirius,” Regulus corrected him angrily. “I thought he’d...maybe that...”</p><p>“S’pose we could tell Dumbledore or Moody or someone. One of them could follow that elf back to the whore crook,” James said.</p><p>“Horcrux,” Regulus growled.</p><p>“Whatever,” James said brightly, sitting up straight. “Looks like that just leaves you. What are we going to do with you?”</p><p>Regulus cast a sideways glance towards his brother, and when Sirius remained silent he felt a wave of depression wash over him.</p><p>“Don’t turn me in,” he said in resignation. “I’ve no more information to give. If you’re done with me, then at least allow me to...leave.”</p><p>James scoffed. “You think we’re dumb enough to just let you waltz out of here, scott-free?”</p><p>Remus Lupin smacked him on the shoulder. “Shut up, James,” he said exasperatedly before turning to Regulus.</p><p>“No one here is going to let you off yourself, Regulus Black.”</p><p>“I won’t go to Azkaban,” Regulus said firmly. His voice was steady, but inside his chest his heart was pounding. He wasn’t sure that bold statement was one he could hold to.</p><p>“Shush, no one’s sending you there,” Sirius said, placing a warm hand over Regulus’s heart, as though he could ground him, calm the frantic beating.</p><p>Regulus didn’t believe a word Sirius said when he was this many IPA’s past tipsy and was certain that a morningtime hungover Sirius would be saying something quite different. Regulus couldn’t be around when his brother and his friends sobered up and remembered that they were harboring a wanted criminal.</p><p>Surely they would pass out eventually, and Regulus could make his escape?</p><p>Sirius was rubbing his hand languidly along Regulus’s chest when he paused. “What have you got in your pocket?” he asked.</p><p>Shocked, Regulus remembered the picture he had stolen from Sirius’s room and tentatively pulled it from his breast pocket. (Sirius and his friends had long since divested Regulus of his cloak and outer robes, likely to make tying him up easier.)</p><p>Regulus held out the photo. “I took this from your room to give to you. When you left home all those years ago...you ran off so quickly that you left some things behind.”</p><p>Sirius took the picture and smiled at it. Then he dove forward and kissed Regulus boldly on the cheek, a mere centimeter from his lips. Regulus gasped and fell backwards—straight into James Potter.</p><p>It was like the other man had been waiting for exactly this cue. James Potter leaned forward, pulling Regulus to the side with him and holding the boy down by his shoulders. He swung one leg onto either side of Regulus’s waist and started straight for the buttons on his shirt.</p><p>Regulus screeched at the same time Remus yelled, “James! What are you doing?”</p><p>James froze and looked quizzically at his friend; he seemed to be thinking. Then his eyes lit up. “Oh! You’re right Moony.” He turned his gaze to Regulus. “You should be doing this yourself!”</p><p>“What?” Regulus said, his voice raspy from James’s weight</p><p>James took Regulus’s hands and pressed them into his chest, directly over the buttons he’d been clamoring at a moment earlier. “Go on,” he insisted. “Start!”</p><p>“Start <em>what?</em>” Regulus screamed. He tried vainly to buck James Potter off of him but was unsuccessful. “Get off, I can’t breathe!”</p><p>James slid off of him. “Get started,” he insisted again.</p><p>Regulus was on his feet in a second but it did him no good; Lupin had locked the door while Regulus was retelling his exploits. Regulus jiggled the handle futilely.</p><p>“Start what?” he asked warily as James approached him. He shot a frantic glance at Sirius only to see him prizing the lid off a tequila bottle and rummaging among the discarded shot glasses on the nightstand, looking for a relatively clean one.</p><p>James smiled. “I think you owe us <em>something</em> given that you assaulted my stripper. How am I to enjoy my bachelor party now?”</p><p>“You’re out of your mind,” Regulus snapped. “Sirius, <em>please </em>stop drinking and do something.”</p><p>“So you’re saying no?”</p><p>“Of course I’m saying no, you imbecile,” Regulus said harshly.</p><p>James folded his arms stubbornly. “You were so ready to die five minutes ago but you won’t take your shirt off for me?”</p><p>Regulus nearly hissed in frustration. He didn’t appreciate James Potter—drunk or not—belittling his situation.</p><p>“You know,” said James with the air of great wisdom. “Strippers get paid.”</p><p>“I’ve no need for your money, Potter,” Regulus snapped.</p><p>“Who said anything about money?” James said, hiccuping twice before devolving into a short fit of giggles. Sirius handed him his own shot glass. “Sirius owes me a good bachelor party, being my best man and all. Perhaps he’ll pay you with free room and board?”</p><p>Regulus went stiller than death. Even his heart seemed to stop beating for a moment and he didn’t breathe. Slowly, almost unable to even dare, Regulus made eye contact with his brother. Sirius was on the bed again looking quite dazed, but there was a grin on his face and he nodded.</p><p>“Pick your prize, Prongs,” he said, waving one hand in front of him like a conductor.</p><p>“What do you say, Baby Black?” James asked, turning back from Sirius to Regulus.</p><p>Regulus eyed him warily. James Potter was marrying a woman in less than seventy-two hours. “Do you...like men?” he asked almost fearfully.</p><p>“Not the question I asked,” James said.</p><p>Regulus had his back against the wall. He looked from his brother to his two friends and back several times, thinking frantically. Stalling until he could snatch a wand and make an escape still seemed like his most viable option.</p><p>It was an option that would still ultimately result in his death, but Regulus had accepted that outcome as soon as it became clear his half-witted plan to endear himself to Sirius for protection had failed.</p><p>“I—I just have to take my shirt off?” Regulus asked in a shaky voice.</p><p>James was next to him again, tugging at his waistband and almost whispering in his ear. “Oh, I think the trousers will need to go, too.”</p><p>“Here, Reggie.” Regulus started when something cool touched his arm. It was a glass of amber liquid, offered to him by Sirius. “Pluck up some courage.”</p><p>Regulus frowned. The drink smelled absolutely vile, but at Sirius’s insistence, he drank it all, holding his breath to numb the taste.</p><p>Regulus shuddered and gently dropped the cup to the carpeted floor, partly because his hands were trembling as waves of distaste rolled over him and partly because he wanted to discourage Sirius from refilling it.</p><p>James was hollering something at him again. Regulus grimaced and finished what the other boy had started, unbuttoning the black dress shirt—a gift from one of his uncles—and letting it fall to Sirius’s filthy floor, silver cufflinks glinting in the lamplight.</p><p>At this point, Regulus honestly expected James and the others to back out. Who would want to stare at Regulus’s gawky, girlish torso?</p><p>But James was practically drooling. “Moony!” he yelled loudly, diving for Sirius’s nightstand and rummaging around until he found a handful of galleons. “Give him one of these!”</p><p>“N—no,” Regulus insisted, but it was too late. Remus approached him, fairly languidly for how drunk he was, and tugged Regulus up against him by the waistband of his trousers. Regulus felt the heavy coin slide into his pocket. “Stop that!”</p><p>“Oh, don’t be such a spoil-sport,” Lupin murmured. He was holding Regulus so close, practically breathing fire against Regulus’s neck. Regulus felt his knees threatening to buckle under the pressure as the man leaned all his weight against the belt loops of Regulus’s trousers. “Don’t get the chance for a lot of fun nights, do we?”</p><p>Regulus pushed weakly at Remus’s stomach. He hadn’t expected the man to act like this—usually the quietest and calmest of Sirius’s friends, if Regulus was remembering. “I—I didn’t think you—I thought that...”</p><p>Regulus swore he could feel Lupin quirk an eyebrow, even with the man’s face still buried against his neck.</p><p>“What?” he giggled. “Thought you would only have to dance around for James?”</p><p>Regulus’s mouth went dry. Then suddenly he was being swung around by his hips and Lupin was tossing him back-first onto the bed. In an instant, the man was leaning over him.</p><p>“Can I kiss you?” he asked, his polite tone juxtaposing drastically with how he stood over Regulus as he lay on the bed, straddling his legs and hunkering down to trap him. “Please, Rega—what is your name? Wait,” he laughed into his hand.</p><p>“Regulus,” Sirius called from the other side of the room.</p><p>“Oh, right right,” Remus said. He turned his gaze down to Regulus again. “I knew that, I promise. Sirius talked about you a lot in school...so did I,” he said with a smile.</p><p>Regulus felt his insides squirm. Then Lupin’s lips were on his, pressing, sliding and pulling. It seemed to last forever. When he finally could, Regulus was gasping for air.</p><p>“L—Lupin,” he said uncertainly.</p><p>“Won’t you call me Remus?” he asked, biting gently on the shell of Regulus’s ear. Regulus felt a coil of fire burst and writhe in his belly. He’d never been kissed so aggressively before—had certainly never been <em>bitten</em>, and he wasn’t sure how to handle it. The glass of hard alcohol he’d downed earlier was beginning to give him a slight fuzziness around his vision, and he felt oddly compelled to close his eyes.</p><p>“No,” James said loudly. “Call him Moony, he <em>likes </em>that!”</p><p>“No,” Remus said, rolling his eyes. “Take this off already,” he said, turning his attentions back to Regulus. The husky tone his voice had adopted—deep and almost angry—sent a chill up Regulus’s spine.</p><p>“I...I don’t know,” he said warily. “I think—”</p><p>He cut off when Remus growled—literally <em>growled</em> at him. With a whimper, Regulus did as he was told. In just his underwear, he felt unbearably exposed.</p><p>“Good boy.” Remus’s voice was soft again. Before Regulus could protest, his last last shred of dignity was tugged down his legs.</p><p>Regulus squeaked and, on reflex, wrapped his arms around Remus’s back, tugging him closer, hoping the other boy’s body would shield him from view.</p><p>“Hey!” James whined loudly. “No fair, he was my idea!”</p><p>Remus chuckled as he caught his balance. From out the corner of his eye, Regulus saw James approaching them. He clung tighter to Remus.</p><p>“Easy, love, I think this is as close as I can get.”</p><p>“Don’t—just—don’t let him.” Regulus closed his eyes, blushing madly. Remus held out a hand to keep James at bay.</p><p>“Easy, Prongs, you’re scaring him.”</p><p>“I am <em>not!</em>”</p><p>“Save your...boisterousness for later, after I’ve got him ready for you.”</p><p>“You’re so bossy,” James complained. Regulus gasped as Remus lifted him into the center of the bed, tore off his own shirt and joined him.</p><p>“Sirius, can you distract that prat for a minute?”</p><p>Remus turned back to Regulus, staring down at his flushed torso, his soft, flat belly, his...Regulus resisted the urge to cover himself with his hands.</p><p>“Now, Reggie, why don’t you tell me what you like?” He traced a finger down Regulus’s browline.</p><p>Regulus heard his brother mutter something about being the only one allowed to use ‘Reggie’ as a nickname for Regulus.</p><p>“I like, er...I don’t really—I don’t know. Not that I haven’t—I just mean that, I...I, well...I haven’t...”</p><p>“Shh,” Remus cooed. “It’s okay honey, I’ll take care of you. Just talk to me, okay?”</p><p>Remus slid down his body until he reached Regulus’s cock, already embarrassingly half-hard from all the close contact. Regulus felt his heart race as he watched Remus crawl down his body. The man’s torso was well shaped and smooth save for several pale scars that twirled around his shoulders. Regulus was so busy staring that he didn’t notice what Remus was doing until the man’s mouth was around the tip of his cock.</p><p>Regulus arched off the covers and twisted in shock and pleasure. Remus took a firm grip on his hips and laid him back down flat again. Regulus heard a whistle from his left where Sirius and James sat on the floor, cross-legged, passing a bottle back and forth.</p><p>Regulus closed his eyes while Remus worked him over. He was pleasantly lost for a few minutes—James and his brother blissfully disappeared from his mind—when he felt Remus pause before sliding a very cold hand underneath him. Regulus flinched.</p><p>“Shh, sorry,” Remus murmured. His lips were at Regulus’s chin. “A little cold for a second, but you’ll like this.”</p><p>“What are you doing?” Regulus yelped.</p><p>“Making sure you have a good time,” Remus said, peppering kisses along Regulus’s chest. “Gotta play my cards right if I want you to come back begging for more.”</p><p>Remus leaned back onto his knees and manhandled Regulus into an easier position. His fingers were slick with something thick and cold, and Regulus felt a shock shudder up his spine as Remus pressed into him. Before he could gather his head, Remus’s mouth was on him again, tonguing up his shaft and sucking vigorously.</p><p>“C—come back?” Regulus gasped. He couldn’t much feel his legs and he wondered if it was because of Remus or because he had recently downed nearly a pint of something very strong—or both.</p><p>Remus had a second finger inside him. Regulus’s cock was rock hard straining against his belly with each beat of his frantic heart. Remus worked his touch deeper inside the Slytherin underneath him and Regulus nearly screamed when someone cupped his face in their hands.</p><p>“Easy, Moony, make sure he’s still breathing.” Sirius’s voice cut through Regulus’s hazy mind and reminded him that he was, in fact, lying naked on his brother’s bed, writhing under the ministrations of one of his brother’s oldest friends.</p><p>Remus smiled. He placed a feather-light kiss to the base of Regulus’s cock and the younger boy felt his whole body tighten.</p><p>“Just making sure he knows where to go if he needs someone to treat him right.”</p><p>Sirius chuckled. “He’s a virgin, Remus, he doesn’t have anyone to compare you to.”</p><p>“I’m not!” Regulus gasped, angrily pawing at Sirius’s hands. Sirius laughed and slid his grip down to Regulus’s shoulders, holding him in place.</p><p>“Where’s James?” Remus asked.</p><p>Sirius jerked his head towards the door. “Throwing up in the bathroom. He’ll be back in a second.”</p><p>Remus wrinkled his nose. “Well make sure he brushes his teeth or no one’s going to want anything to do with him.” Then he turned back to Regulus, kissing a warm trail down his belly, twisting his fingers with each one and muttering, “Try to relax a little more.”</p><p>When Remus’s lips touched Regulus’s cock again, Regulus felt his whole body clench and his back arch. Sirius finally released him, planting a quick kiss on his forehead and moving away, presumably to help James, who was struggling to figure out how to open the bedroom door again.</p><p>Regulus came down from near-orgasm to find that Remus was laughing gently at him. “If you can’t stop tightening up on me, then maybe your cock can’t have anymore kisses,” he teased, drumming his fingers along Regulus’s pale thigh. “You don’t seem to be able to handle it, and I need you to relax for me, or you’ll never be able to take your big brother’s cock.”</p><p>Regulus was sure he must have misheard. “What?” he asked, breathless as Remus prized him open with a third finger.</p><p>Remus seemed to note the panicked look in Regulus’s eyes. “I think we’re going to need some more drinks over here, Sirius!” he hollered.</p><p>“Huh?” Regulus felt himself being pushed up into something resembling a sitting position. Sirius had a glass against his lips. Regulus’s eyes crossed as he tried to focus on the drink in front of him.</p><p>“It’s water,” Sirius insisted. “James is mixing you a cocktail on the dresser.”</p><p>Water...Regulus thought that was a probably a good idea. He grabbed Sirius’s wrist and let him tip the drink back. He was very thirsty so he let it pour freely into his throat—</p><p>Only to sputter and choke as it burned all the way down. Gasping, Regulus rolled onto his side, tears streaming from his eyes.</p><p>“Sirius, you idiot,” Lupin scolded. “That’s vodka. You grabbed the wrong glass.”</p><p>“Oh,” Sirius scrambled to switch the glasses, apologizing earnestly the whole time. “Here, Reggie, take this.”</p><p>Regulus eyed the second glass suspiciously. “No, thank you,” he wheezed. Sirius rolled his eyes.</p><p>“It’s water, I promise.” Sirius took a drink to prove it. “Please, honey, I don’t want you to get sick.”</p><p>Regulus took the water from his brother and, against his better judgment, he took the small, blue drink James Potter threw at him, as well. Very full and the whole room spinning, he fell back against Sirius’s pillows, his earlier apprehension long gone.</p><p>Lupin was smiling and talking at him, planting kisses on his flushed neck and shoulders while stroking him gently. Regulus mewled and bucked up against him.</p><p>“—I think you’re ready for the main event, Regulus Black. I don’t think you know how happy your big brother is that you chose to come here tonight. Sirius, why don’t you show him?”</p><p>“In for a penny, in for a pound,” Sirius said with a shrug, downing the last of his drink. “C’mere, Reggie.”</p><p>Regulus bit his lip. Through the haze in his mind, he was still wary. Sirius was also very drunk. Regulus should resist this. But...Sirius was so warm. Regulus leaned closer, hovering just inches from his brother’s chest. It was that instant he realized that he’d wanted Sirius’s warmth more than his help.</p><p>He’d wanted closeness.</p><p>Regulus brushed his lips against Sirius’s stomach in the chastest kiss that had been given all night, looking up at him warily.</p><p>He’d never felt more vulnerable nor more connected to other people in his life. Nowhere had he ever felt he could fall into place—and know that the others would catch him. His life had been one long game of attempts to create a connection—to his classmates, to the Dark Lord’s followers, to his own parents...and he had always come up short.</p><p>But with Sirius he had been so close to having it, and it was Regulus’s memories of his brother from childhood that had given him a taste for this rapturous devotion. And after years of avoiding Sirius, Regulus had finally caved. Staring death in the face, he’d thrown one last Hail Mary for just a few hours of unfiltered affection.</p><p>Regulus closed his eyes and let Sirius paw roughly at his face and shoulders, pulling him up to hold their mouths together, not quite kissing yet, but waiting, guarding…</p><p>Regulus wouldn’t kid himself into thinking that this drunken display of devotion would last, but he wasn’t going to waste it either. It seemed fitting that his last act on this earth be a selfish one.</p><p>“Are you going to fuck him, Padfoot?” James asked. His voice sounded very far away, but Regulus could tell he was anxious. “Because I want to, but Moony won’t let me until you get to first.”</p><p>Petulance. Even at a time like this.</p><p>“Yes, yes,” Sirius muttered, finally connecting his lips to Regulus’s. Regulus felt every nerve in his mouth spark at once.</p><p>Sirius held out a hand and Remus passed him the small bottle from earlier.</p><p>Regulus was confused for a moment...there was already so much of the stuff in him, but then he saw Sirius rubbing a generous amount onto his rising cock and he understood.</p><p>Sirius stood by the edge of the bed and pulled Regulus onto his knees, pressing his chest flat against his brother’s back. Regulus could feel Sirius’s slick erection pressing against his thighs.</p><p>“Mkay,” Sirius whispered sweetly. “Just relax and let me or Remus know if I’m hurting you, okay?”</p><p>“...hurt?” Regulus asked nervously.</p><p>“It’ll be fine,” Sirius reassured him. Regulus felt him run the head of his cock along his arse, back and forth several times before stopping and—</p><p>Regulus yelped as he was filled inch by inch. The force of it, coupled with Sirius’s weight, pushed him nearly from his brother’s grip. Sirius didn’t waste much time, settling into him quickly and then starting to move.</p><p>“Ah,” Regulus reached back and tried to slow him. He wasn’t really <em>hurting,</em> but there was a burning fullness and the tingling in his legs was getting more severe. Sirius twined their fingers together and wrapped his other hand around Regulus’s middle, pulling him back into his thrusts.</p><p>Regulus closed his eyes, unsure if he was miserable or ecstatic. Every so often, just as he was beginning to notice a dull, aching pain, Sirius would strike against something delicious inside him, and the pain would fall back under a sharp burst of pleasure. When the pleasure subsided, Regulus’s gasps would lengthen and the near-pain would return, only to be chased away again. And the cycle continued.</p><p>Soon the painful moments—though still present—were no longer enough to counteract what felt good and Regulus noticed his cock standing at full attention, bobbing against his belly as Sirius wrestled him about.</p><p>Without thought, Regulus reached down to start stroking himself. There was no getting the timing right, but he had to do <em>something</em>. He was so close.</p><p>Sirius grabbed his hand, pulling it away. “Not yet, baby. You’ve still got to take James, remember?”</p><p>Regulus whimpered, twisting as best he could in Sirius’s grip to bury his face against his brother’s shoulder.</p><p>“Oh, for fuck’s sake,” James said exasperatedly. He pulled himself up with great effort and approached the two. “Hand him here,” he said gruffly.</p><p>“What for?” Sirius asked suspiciously.</p><p>“He’s terrified of me,” James explained. “Look at his fucking face; he thinks I’m going to hurt him. Hand him here so I can prove to him that that’s not true, and then you two can return to your lovemaking without him flinching every time he remembers I’m in the room.”</p><p>Something about the way James said “lovemaking” made Regulus blush. He looked down, waiting for Sirius to vehemently deny such a frilly word.</p><p>But he never did. Rather, Sirius seemed to hold him even tighter for a moment before gently easing out of him. Regulus wriggled in discomfort and fell awkwardly back down onto the bed. Sirius leaned down to kiss his temple and he muttered something Regulus’s foggy brain couldn’t quite make out. It sounded reassuring, though.</p><p>Then Sirius was lounging back, gloriously naked in his bedside armchair and calling for Remus. “Bring m’ something I can smoke, yeah?”</p><p>Regulus turned nervously to James who was stroking himself with one hand and climbing onto the bed with the other. There were soft muscles on James’s chest and a light trail of hair down his belly. His smooth skin was glinting ever so slightly in the firelight—when had someone lit the fireplace?</p><p>Regulus avoided James’s gaze while the man swiveled him around, positioning him on his back. It wasn’t that James Potter wasn’t attractive, Regulus just couldn’t help but mistrust him. He’d been expecting James to toss him out all night, and when he hadn’t, it had been suspicious.</p><p>Regulus, still looking anywhere but the man on top of him, felt James push the blunt head of cock—rather thicker than Sirius’s—inside him. James leaned his full weight onto him and bottomed out hard. Regulus groaned.</p><p>“There we go,” James panted. “Rather nice, isn’t it? Being close?”</p><p>Regulus didn’t answer.</p><p>“I don’t hate you, you know. I know you think I do,” James said softly. He sounded the least drunk he’d been all night. An overwhelming burning odor drifted from next to the bed and Regulus realized his brother was lighting...something. He coughed once, irritated, but still said nothing.</p><p>“Ignoring me won’t do you any good, Baby Black,” James said.</p><p>“Fine,” Regulus muttered dejectedly. “Then just do what you want and get off of me.”</p><p>James narrowed his eyes. “I don’t want you to hate me,” he said earnestly, thrusting up deeply into Regulus, making the younger boy gasp. “I never have. I know you <em>think</em> that I regard you as some kind of enemy, but I don’t.”</p><p>Regulus tried to cover his eyes with one hand but James grabbed him by the wrist. “I tried to talk to you several times back at Hogwarts,” he continued, pulling out and easing back into Regulus twice more at a maddeningly steady pace. “But you would never give me the time of day, and I know why.”</p><p>Regulus glared up at him, trying to pretend that the delicious friction wasn’t stiffening his cock back to half-mast.</p><p>James cupped his face in one hand. “It’s because <em>you</em> hate <em>me.</em> For Sirius. You think he likes me better. You think I <em>stole</em> him.”</p><p>Regulus bit his tongue hard to keep from snapping back.</p><p>“But he doesn’t and I <em>didn’t</em>,” James said sternly. He pushed against Regulus’s thighs, stretching his muscles pleasantly—almost painfully—and quickened his pace. “He loves you, Regulus. Obsessively so. And you’ve got no reason to dread running into me.”</p><p>He fell forward again to press his lips against Regulus’s. Not quite a full kiss, but the threat of one.</p><p>“I’d <em>really</em> like to kiss you,” James said. “And come,” he added in a whispered afterthought. “Staring at you all night has me so worked up, I know I won’t last much longer.”</p><p>He did sound out of breath, as though he were struggling to remain composed. Regulus felt an odd sense of power that he had caused James Potter to go weak in the lungs. For a brief moment, his mind conjured a new image: James still inside of him, but Regulus on top, riding him. Controlling when and how he came.</p><p>After a moment of inactivity, Regulus blinked free of his daydream and realized that James was waiting for his approval.</p><p>Regulus didn’t know how to feel, but he knew everyone was waiting on him.</p><p>“Once,” he said. He tried to glare. He tried to sound firm.</p><p>James’s lips were much fuller than Sirius’s, and his tongue seemed to have a mind of its own. Regulus, unsure of how to kiss in this...<em>involved</em> manner, focused all his energy on breathing so he wouldn’t embarrass himself.</p><p>James was thrusting again, shorter and more frantic this time. Regulus looked down at where their bodies joined, feeling so hot that he half expected to see fire.</p><p>When James’s climax hit him, he was pretty quiet, but his movements slowed and he pushed himself up off of Regulus’s chest. Slowly and languidly he bottomed out once...twice more before settling down again. Regulus had expected James to roll off of him as soon as he was done, but instead he was kissing and sucking on the Slytherin’s neck.</p><p>“You’re as delicious as I always thought you’d be, you know?” James said softly. He touched his nose briefly to Regulus’s. “See the things you can learn when you’re willing to reach out for a little help?”</p><p>James gave Regulus a few gentle strokes to distract him as he pulled himself out. “I’ll give you back to your brother now,” he said with a sigh. Feigning great exhaustion, he stretched out next to Regulus, kissing him quickly on the cheek. “I know how impatient he gets...but don’t think that you’ve seen the last of me, eh?”</p><p>Regulus felt an enormous weight off his shoulders. James Potter, the instigator of all this madness and the bane of Regulus’s existence for many years, was laying next to him, sweaty and spent. It was as though a large, looming threat had been quelled.</p><p>“Done bonding?” asked Sirius, sitting next to Regulus and pulling him up into his lap. In one hand, he still held what looked like a large cigarette or a small cigar, which he pressed to Regulus’s lips.</p><p>Regulus was through fighting things at this point and took a deep breath. Something acrid and absolutely vile burned down his throat and into his very lungs. It was all he could do not to start hacking up his trachea.</p><p>“Not bonding with <em>him</em>,” Regulus croaked, but his heart wasn’t in the jab.</p><p>Sirius smiled and passed the burning monstrosity over to James who took it eagerly, settling against the headboard.</p><p>“Sure, sure,” Sirius said placatingly. “Then come back to me.” He pulled Regulus to his hands and knees. Regulus had to grip at the edge of the mattress to keep from falling off.</p><p>Sirius slid back into him effortlessly. His cock met no resistance and he seemed to hit even deeper than the first time. Regulus made an embarassing noise as his body let Sirius in even further.</p><p>Sirius was stroking his back, cooing at him. “Look at you,” he said proudly. “Such a good boy when you’ve been loosened up a bit, yeah?”</p><p>Regulus blushed furiously and hid his face against his arm as Sirius started up an almost brutal pace—or at least it sure seemed brutal to Regulus, who found himself having to actively push back against his brother to keep from being flung off the bed.</p><p>Sirius was mouthing something filthy above him that Regulus’s brain simply didn’t want to hear. He punctuated each degrading word with a sharp, slapping thrust. Regulus wasn’t sure how much deeper it was possible for his brother to go.</p><p>Regulus lost his grip and Sirius’s next thrust sent him careening over the side of the low bed. Sirius hooked a deft arm around his middle and dragged him back, but not before Regulus’s fingers scraped along the floor, inadvertently knocking something from under the bed into plain sight.</p><p>A hairbrush.</p><p>No, wait. There were no bristles. It was more of a paddle. Regulus felt his brother still behind him and follow his line of sight over the bed.</p><p>“Ah,” Sirius said. Regulus could hear the exuberant smile in his voice. Sirius slid free of his brother, leaving Regulus achingly empty, and leaned over the bed to grab the small piece of wood. Regulus watched him warily.</p><p>“What’s that?” he asked. His voice was rough and scratchy.</p><p>“Want to find out?” Sirius asked coyly.</p><p>Regulus bit his lip and leaned away from Sirius a bit. Thinking was very hard. “A—are you going to hit me with that, Sirius?”</p><p>Before Sirius could answer, Remus had vaulted over James and crawled up next to them. “No,” he said sternly, swiping the paddle from Sirius’s grip. “He absolutely is not.”</p><p>Regulus sighed in relief. He heard James make a disappointed noise.</p><p>“Hey,” Sirius said petulantly. Remus shot him a serious look.</p><p>“Absolutely not,” he said firmly.</p><p>“But you didn’t even give him a chance to answer!”</p><p>Remus rolled his eyes. “I’m answering for him,” he said. “Quiet, James,” he said, pushing James down by his shoulder as the man tried to stand up. James’s arms were too drunk to catch himself and he fell back down with an irritable huff.</p><p>“Sirius, you absolutely cannot jump into something like that the first time you have him naked. If you rush like that, he’ll never come back.”</p><p>“C—come back?” Regulus whispered. He rolled over onto his back and looked up at Sirius questioningly. Sirius was avoiding his gaze and glaring at Lupin.</p><p>Lupin took ahold of Regulus’s face, stroking his hair to distract him while he leaned forward and whispered to Sirius, “He <em>will</em> come back if you give him the chance, Sirius.” He spoke so quietly that Regulus knew he wasn’t supposed to hear. “You’ve been moaning for years about how to get ahold of him. Well now he’s here so don’t scare him away, you prat. Be sweet to him; it’s clearly what he wants.”</p><p>Then Lupin was sliding off the bed, pulling James by the arm away from the two brothers.</p>
<hr/><p>Regulus awoke briefly panicked the next morning. It took him a second to remember where he was and to realize the heavy weight pressing down on him was just his brother’s arm slung over his neck. Breathing carefully, Regulus realized that James, Remus and Sirius were all still asleep. Relief washed over him. Now was his chance to flee.</p><p>He carefully extracted himself from the tangle of warm limbs and dressed quickly. He was unable to find his own shirt and so stole one of Sirius’s, instead. At the thought of his brother, Regulus felt a pulsing guilt strike him in time with the dull pounding in his head.</p><p>He’d come here wanting closeness to Sirius and he’d certainly gotten it. Regulus thought bitterly that the memories might give him some comfort in hell.</p><p>Regulus’s arse was throbbing but not so much as his cock, which was gingerly sore. So much so that Regulus gave up on fastening the front of his trousers and for now just untucked his shirt.</p><p>The bedroom door was no longer locked and Regulus left unchallenged. He retrieved his wand from the living room and walked stiffly to the front door. He wished he had a worse hangover; it would give him a nobler explanation for the thin tears pooling in his eyes.</p><p>Hand on the doorknob, Regulus paused. He could feel someone standing behind him.</p><p>“I must say, I’ve never had anyone sneak out on me in the morning,” Remus said with a wry smile.</p><p>Regulus sighed in defeat and turned around. His brother’s friend had thrown on his trousers but nothing else. His broad, inviting chest still looked as warm and protective to Regulus as it had felt the previous night. Remus’s auburn hair was tousled and his pale skin flushed, but on the whole, he still somehow looked more put-together than Regulus, who was a fully-dressed train wreck.</p><p>“I have to leave now, I need to be gone before...” Regulus swallowed thickly. “Before he wakes up a—and hates me even more.”</p><p>“Are you talking about Sirius? Because the only person he’s going to be mad at is me if I let you walk out of here and get yourself killed.”</p><p>Regulus shook his head, his disheveled hair falling into his eyes. “I can’t face him,” he whispered.</p><p>“You think Sirius regrets what happened?”</p><p>“Yes!” Regulus insisted. Remus was getting awfully close to him and he could feel his knees getting weak as he remembered how comforting it had been to lay in the other man’s arms. “Don’t you?”</p><p>“Regret what?” Remus asked coyly. In an instant he was leaning against the wall next to Regulus, one hand gripping the boy’s hand and pulling it slowly to his mouth, kissing one, two, three fingers and smiling. “Tasting that sweet cock of yours?”</p><p>Regulus sputtered.</p><p>“Although,” Remus continued, pulling Regulus by his hand into the kitchen and ushering him into a chair. He set about heating some water for tea. “I am dreading the incoming argument.”</p><p>Regulus hung his head.</p><p>“About me?”</p><p>“Yes,” Remus said, smiling. “Gonna’ have to fight it out with your brother. Figure out how to divvy you up.”</p><p>Regulus made a confused noise, words escaping him. Remus moved to stand at Regulus’s back, a hand on each shoulder, leaning down to kiss him behind his left ear. “You, of all people, surely know that Sirius doesn’t share so well.”</p><p>Regulus twisted to look up at Remus questioningly.</p><p>Remus smiled mischievously. He kissed Regulus again, this time on the lips. A hint of the deep growl from the last night snuck back into his voice. “And you’ll soon see, that neither do I.”</p><p>Regulus didn’t know what to say.</p><p>“Sirius wants you to stay here, Regulus. I know my wards aren’t entirely comprehensive, but Professor Dumbledore is stopping by before James’s wedding to redo them. Probably tomorrow. He’ll be able to make sure no one finds you here.”</p><p>Regulus felt almost sick at the mention of James Potter. “I’ve never been part of an affair before,” he said dejectedly when Remus cocked an eyebrow.</p><p>“Don’t worry about James,” Remus said. “He’s a big boy. He can deal with whatever fallout comes his way from this. He’s had a lot of practice given his inability to stay clear of Sirius. You didn’t force him to cheat on his fiance, so stop feeling guilty,” he added when Regulus didn’t seem cheered up. “He’s always liked what he can’t have, and you’ve been on his list for awhile.”</p><p>Regulus shot him a quizzical look.</p><p>“First because the Regulus Black we went to school with would never have said yes, and Sirius would have murdered James even if you had. And now because he’s engaged to someone else. I reckon you showing up so desperate last night was more than he could resist.” Remus pressed a warm mug into Regulus’s hands. “Here, drink this. You look cold.”</p><p>Regulus drank obediently.</p><p>“You still don’t believe me, do you?” Remus said in exasperation, and Regulus shook his head, ashamed.</p><p>“Then finish drinking that and come with me.”</p><p>Sirius and James were still sprawled out when Remus returned Regulus to the bedroom. To Regulus it looked like both of them were trying to claim as much space as possible.</p><p>“Asleep like the dead, honestly,” Remus said, kicking off his shoes and all but forcing Regulus to do the same. “Come on, then.” He pulled Regulus forward.</p><p>Remus shook Sirius’s shoulder, eliciting a low groan. “Oi Sirius,” he said. “Explain to this that you don’t want him dead in a ditch somewhere.”</p><p>Sirius blinked blearily and rubbed at his head. “Reggie?” he asked. “Why are you up? Come back to bed.”</p><p>Between Remus’s pushing and Sirius’s pulling, Regulus let himself be manhandled back into the bed. Sirius made a show of sliding closer to James so that Regulus couldn’t fit between them and instead settled next to only Sirius.</p><p>“Christ, make some room for me,” Remus complained, poking and prodding at James to make room to lie down. Sirius ignored his plight; he was focused on Regulus. He tugged lightly on Regulus’s shirt, confused at how dressed his brother was.</p><p>“I caught him by the front door,” Remus said by way of explanation. “Thinking he was going to slink off to his death to avoid talking to you.”</p><p>Sirius’s eyes narrowed and he tightened his grip on Regulus, as though his brother were in danger of sprinting off. “Idiot,” he muttered.</p><p>“Excuse me?” Regulus said.</p><p>Sirius leaned up on one arm, Regulus trapped below him. Gently, he ran a finger up Regulus’s throat and across his jaw, coming to rest on his lips. “Didn’t I tell you I wanted you to stay?”</p><p>Regulus rolled his eyes. “You said a lot of things. You were absolutely pissed.”</p><p>“Doesn’t mean I was lying.”</p><p>Regulus muttered something and tried to roll away from his brother. Sirius leaned further over him, encasing Regulus beneath him, shielding his face from the view of the other two men.</p><p>“Do you want me to kick them out of the room?” Sirius whispered, tracing the growing blush along Regulus’s cheeks. “Or do I just need to get you another drink?”</p><p>Soon Sirius was lying straight on top of him. Regulus could feel his brother’s growing erection pressing against his abdomen.</p><p>“You feel safe with me, yeah?”</p><p>Regulus felt his throat constrict. “Yes,” he whispered, and it was true. Regulus hadn’t felt safe for so long. Exhaustingly terrified evenings under the heel of the Dark Lord...Endless nights trapped in the common room...Depressing afternoons waiting for his parents to tire of yelling.</p><p>It had been so long that he almost hadn’t recognized the feeling, but this was it: this was safety. Regulus felt a grin creep back onto his face. His reason to smile was finally back. Was right here in front of him.</p><p>There was a great deal of shuffling from next to them as James extracted himself from the bed, complaining loudly and gripping at his head.</p><p>“You want some clothes, mate?” Remus asked as James staggered towards the door. James muttered something very rude and Remus laughed.</p><p>“Bring enough painkillers back for everyone, please,” he ordered.</p><p>“That reminds me,” said Sirius, rolling back over to lay on his back next to Regulus. Regulus frowned as Sirius’s warm body slid off him. “How are you feeling, Reggie. You hungover?”</p><p>Regulus thought for a moment. There was a small throb behind his eyes and a wariness in his stomach warning him not to go much beyond the tea he’d had earlier. He was loathe to admit weakness, however. Sirius and his friends had mocked him enough for his sexual inexperience, he didn’t need them making fun of how little drink it had taken to leave him sick in the morning.</p><p>“No,” he said earnestly. Sirius rolled his eyes.</p><p>“Yes, I’m assuming that’s a lie. When James gets back, take the medicine, will you?”</p><p>“I don’t need it,” Regulus insisted with a pout.</p><p>“I wasn’t asking,” Sirius said. “Look, it’s okay. My head is killing me, too.”</p><p>Regulus raised an eyebrow. “...Maybe I could distract you,” he offered, a little timid. “Until your friend gets back.”</p><p>Sirius looked at him curiously. With great trepidation, as if he expected Sirius to laugh him out of the bed at any moment, Regulus crawled over him. Unlike Regulus, Sirius was still stark naked from the night before and Regulus could see and feel his erection growing as he jostled around, settling down in between Sirius’s legs.</p><p>Cautiously, he took Sirius in his hands and brought his mouth down to meet the head of his cock. Like the rest of Sirius, it was hot, almost unbearably so. Regulus thought back to how Remus had done this last night and slowly tried to mimic his memories.</p><p>Regulus had never been so unsure of himself in his entire life. It was so scary being in charge like this; there was almost too much pressure and part of him wished he could just lie back down again and let Sirius take control.</p><p>Sirius tasted strong and Regulus started every time his brother twitched in his mouth, nervous that he was doing something wrong.</p><p>Regulus swallowed Sirius down until he felt the dull head of his cock push all the way along the roof of his mouth and start pressing into the soft muscles of his throat. An unpleasant spasm warned him not to go any further.</p><p>Worried that Sirius would be upset that he couldn’t fit it all, Regulus wrapped one hand around the base of his brother’s cock to try and compensate. He thought Remus was saying something again, but he was too nervous to hear through the sound of blood pounding in his ears. Frantically, he stroked and sucked and licked for all he was worth. No rhyme or reason to it, just blind instinct, and Regulus knew he wasn’t doing a great job, but he hoped that his efforts alone were enough to make Sirius happy.</p><p>And judging by his brother’s moans, he was right. Sirius slapped gently at his face and petted his fringe. All at once, Regulus’s senses came crashing back to him.</p><p>“What took you so long, Prongs?” Remus asked, taking the small bottled pain potion from his friend’s hands and taking a tiny sip. He set the bottle on the nightstand where Sirius and Regulus would be able to reach it.</p><p>“Owl from Peter,” James explained. “Apologizing for standing us up. Said something came up with his mum.”</p><p>“Oh,” Remus said, a slightly concerned look in his eyes.</p><p>“Anyway, I think I’ll stop by and see him after lunch with Mum and Dad, <em>which you are invited to,</em>” he added, rounding on Sirius.</p><p>“Shit,” Sirius gasped and laughed, tossing his head back as Regulus hummed ever so gently around his prick. “I’ll...<em>fuck</em>, I’ll try to be there, okay?”</p><p>Sirius took ahold of Regulus’s hair so tightly that it made the Slytherin’s eyes water. Unable to move and unsure of what to do now, Regulus froze and let Sirius handle him.</p><p>Sirius seemed to lose control of himself for a moment and the gentleness from earlier vanished. He bucked up off the bed, gripping Regulus’s head tightly and forcing himself completely down his throat. Regulus gagged at the pressure and then choked as a wave of thick, hot cum—much more than the night before—filled his throat.</p><p>Sirius withdrew quickly and Regulus sputtered, trying to stop himself from heaving all over his brother but also unable to swallow.</p><p>Regulus could hear Remus reprimanding his brother sharply. Finally he caught his breath and latched back onto the head of Sirius’s softening cock, trying to play off how disoriented he was. He gave Sirius a few gentle sucks and then pulled back, a stream of come spilling back onto his brother’s cock.</p><p>“Fuck,” Sirius gasped.</p><p>Regulus breathed deeply through his nose while Remus rubbed his back.</p><p>“S’my wedding, you know,” James griped. “We’re supposed to be celebrating <em>me.</em>”</p><p>“Oh, shut it,” Remus laughed. “And go take a shower. You know your parents are coming to take you to your final tux fitting is a couple hours.”</p><p>“Yeah, I’m going, I’m going,” James conceded. He ran a hand through his dark, messy hair. Regulus wondered if he was going to look so disheveled when he walked down the aisle.</p><p>James made eye contact briefly with Regulus before looking at Sirius. Sirius had such a contented look on his face and was staring down at Regulus with such adoration that James sighed.</p><p>“All right,” he conceded. “I’ll tell Mum and Dad not to expect you today. You at least still coming to the <em>service,</em> you prat?”</p><p>“Yes, yes,” Sirius said absent-mindedly. He pulled Regulus up and into his arms, waving James away as he did so.</p><p>James left with a brief roll of his eyes, looking half amused and half genuinely angry.</p><p>“I’ll go with him today,” Remus volunteered. He pulled some blankets up to cover Regulus and Sirius before standing up off the bed. “You need anything before I go? I’ve left you plenty of the pain potion.”</p><p>Sirius shook his head. Regulus gave Remus a shy look, unsure of what to say or how to say it.</p><p>Remus seemed to understand what he was feeling. “Don’t worry,” he assured Regulus. “I’ll be back soon to make sure <em>this</em> behaves himself.”</p><p>Then Remus left and Regulus was left alone with his brother.</p><p>“Sirius,” Regulus said quietly after some time just gently lounging against his brother’s warm shoulder.</p><p>“Yes?”</p><p>“I feel strange.”</p><p>Sirius cocked an eyebrow. “Strange how?” he asked in slight concern.</p><p>“I mean that...a few hours ago I thought I was going to die. I was ready for it, and now I’m not.”</p><p>Sirius smiled and kissed Regulus’s forehead. “You’ve been through a lot, Reggie. Take a few days off, let me take care of you.”</p><p>“So you’ll really hide me away here?”</p><p>“Idiot,” Sirius laughed fondly. “How many times do I have to say it?”</p><p>“At least once more, I guess,” Regulus admitted. “Sirius, I’m sort of...confused. About your friend.”</p><p>Regulus was doing a good job of not looking his brother in the eyes, instead staring at Sirius’s chest, tracing light trails around his brother’s abdomen with his fingers to distract himself. He wouldn’t be able to speak so boldly if he looked Sirius in the face.</p><p>“James?” Sirius asked.</p><p>“No,” Regulus said softly. “The other one.”</p><p>“Moony?”</p><p>“Yes,” Regulus admitted. “Does he...what...what does he want? Are you—”</p><p>Sirius laid a hand on his cheek to stop his stammering. “I got it,” he said. “Remus really likes you Regulus.”</p><p>“He hardly knows me.”</p><p>Sirius smiled devilishly. “You’d be surprised just how well he actually knows you.”</p><p>Regulus shuddered a little.</p><p>“Reggie,” Sirius said seriously. He pulled Regulus’s chin up, forcing him to look at him. “I’m sorry for letting James tell you that you owed me anything for staying here.”</p><p>“So you do remember that?” Regulus asked quietly. Sirius nodded.</p><p>“It’d wound his ego pretty badly, but you can tell Remus to fuck off the next time he tries to kiss you...you can tell me that, too,” Sirius added in an uncharacteristically small voice. “I won’t throw you to the dementors for it.”</p><p>Regulus didn’t answer, but he didn’t hide the smile creeping across his face, either. After a moment, Sirius laughed again and patted his cheek.</p><p>“Would you like to go take a shower?” he suggested. “James should be done by now.”</p><p>“Together?” Regulus asked.</p><p>“You can go first if you prefer,” Sirius said.</p><p>Regulus thought for a moment.</p><p>“No, Sirius,” he said earnestly. “I’d like us to be together.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I can sometimes be found in the wild on tumblr: http://tenrousei-kuroi.tumblr.com/</p></blockquote></div></div>
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